Nigeria records 256 kidnap victims, 445 casualties in two weeks – Report

Nigeria recorded 106 violent conflict incidents resulting in 445 casualties and 256 kidnapping victims between July 26 and August 8, 2026.

This is according to the latest security report by Nextier.

The report identified banditry as the dominant security threat during the two-week period, accounting for 35 incidents, 246 casualties and 196 kidnapping victims.

The figures show that the North-West bore the highest human cost of insecurity during the period, accounting for 38% of violent incidents, 61% of casualties and 83% of kidnapping victims recorded nationwide.

What the report is saying

Nextier’s data showed that banditry accounted for 33% of the 106 violent incidents recorded nationwide during the two-week period.

• Banditry accounted for 35 incidents and 246 casualties, representing 55% of total casualties.
• The 196 kidnapping victims linked to banditry represented 77% of the 256 victims recorded nationwide.
• “The North West remained the worst-affected geopolitical zone, accounting for 38% of incidents, 61% of casualties, and 83% of kidnap victims, driven largely by banditry in Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara states,” the report stated.

The report said the data indicate that kidnapping-for-ransom, embedded within banditry operations, remains the main driver of abductions, with the North-West bearing the heaviest human cost of Nigeria’s ongoing insecurity.

The North-East recorded a different pattern of insecurity, with terrorism accounting for all incidents recorded in the geopolitical zone during the period under review.

The region continues to contend with attacks by terrorist groups, particularly in communities affected by the longstanding insurgency.

The findings highlight the distinction between the security challenges confronting the North-East and those prevalent in other parts of the country, where banditry, kidnapping and attacks by armed groups are more prominent.

According to the report, the North-Central recorded a more diverse pattern of violent incidents, with banditry, gunmen attacks and kidnapping emerging as major categories.

• “The North Central again showed a more diverse landscape, with banditry, gunmen attacks and kidnapping accounting for 30%, 23%, and 20% of its incidents, respectively. Plateau state recorded the highest number of incidents nationwide,” Nextier stated.

The figures indicate that security challenges in the North-Central are multifaceted, involving different forms of armed violence and criminality.

Get up to speed

The latest figures come amid broader concerns over the adaptation and spread of armed criminal groups across Nigeria.

Security intelligence firm SBM Intelligence has previously flagged rising kidnap threats and mob justice as armed groups shift across the country amid intensified military pressure.

• SBM Intelligence recorded at least 4,722 abductions across 997 incidents between July 2024 and June 2025.
• At least 762 people were killed during the period covered by the SBM assessment.
• Nigeria’s kidnap-for-ransom crisis generated at least N2.57 billion for criminal groups between July 2024 and June 2025, according to the firm.
• The Federal Government designated kidnappers and violent armed groups as terrorists in December 2025 as part of efforts to strengthen the response to abductions, attacks on farmers and community violence.

The security situation has also prompted the government to expand measures aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture, including an increase in the Nigeria Police Force recruitment exercise from 30,000 to 50,000.

What you should know

On May 15, 2026, armed men attacked three schools in the Ahoro Esiele/Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, abducting several students and teachers.

• Save the Children International says at least 1,683 learners were abducted across the country between 2014 and 2022, while UNICEF estimates that insecurity forced the closure of 11,536 schools during the 2020/2021 academic session, disrupting learning for about 1.3 million children.
• The attacks have continued in recent years, with gunmen targeting schools in Kebbi and Niger states in late 2025.